Showing 1-24 of 114 items found in Arts & Culture

This farm was established in 1824 by Michael Huffaker who built four cabins for free black families and later hid fleeing slaves there. Tours available between Memorial Day and Labor Day on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. or by appointment.

Wonder Works is 6,400 square feet of fun, a place of creative play for kids birth to age eight. Located in Oak Park, Illinois at 6445 West North Avenue, the children's museum helps kids, their parents and caregivers unleash their imaginations through art, performance, design, building and more.

Built in 1856, this Italianate building is home of the Aurora Historical Society and where you’ll find historic photos, books, documents and maps covering Aurora’s history from the 1830s to now. Tours of fully furnished home & exhibits offered by appointment. Season tours begin on Sun., April 10 and will be offered at 1, 2 and 3 pm every Wed. and Sun. through Sept. 28. They will be closed on July 3 to prepare for Independence Day. Tours are free; donations appreciated.

Discover the universe at the second largest planetarium in Illinois, the William M. Staerkel Planetarium, located on the campus of Parkland College. With a state-of-the-art digital projection system, visitors can learn about the stars, planets and more in this cutting-edge environment. At the planetarium website, you will learn of special programs and features coinciding with the many events in our universe. Public shows are on most Friday and Saturday nights, as well as summer matinees.

Incorporated in 1964, the Will County Historical Society exists to connect people and organizations to the county's rich history. The Society's museum is housed in the original headquarters of the I&M Canal. Built in 1837, the structure played a central role in the design, financing, and construction of the Canal and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Changing exhibits highlight the history of Will County and the Canal. The Society's extensive collection includes significant county and canal-related records, including maps, plats, land records, obituaries, photographs, newspapers, receipts, and correspondence.

The Wildlife Discovery Center is a special place offering programs for people of all ages who have an interest in wildlife and their habitat. Children's classes, adult programs, and school field trips focus on wildlife conservation, field biology, and ecology. The Center also offers self-guided nature hikes, workshops, eco-based summer camps, wildlife ecology trips, group presentations, traveling animal exhibits and exciting volunteer opportunities. You can visit eye-to-eye with over 150 animals including a bobcat, raptors, Kookaburras, and an assortment of venomous and non-venomous reptiles like crocodilians, snakes, turtles and tortoises. The Wildlife Discovery Center is home to one of the largest public exhibits of rattlesnakes in North America, including four species that are native to Illinois. Indoor exhibits hours are Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The outdoor exhibits and walking trails are open year round.

See sharks glide through underwater gardens of iridescent corals and garden eels. Wander through a lagoon and mangrove forest, and visit a fishing village where residents saved their reef from destruction.

This museum, located in an old school building contains artifacts, memorabilia and hundreds of photographs, which depict lifestyles and the people from the early days of Franklin County. Only 10 miles southwest of Rend Lake. The museum is free to the public but they do accept donations.

No dinosaur in the world compares to SUE—the largest, most complete, and best preserved Tyrannosaurus Rex ever discovered. Get the inside scoop on SUE and the science behind the world's most famous T. Rex. Terror has a new appetite!

The University of Illinois is a world leader in research, teaching and public engagement. It's distinguished by the breadth of their programs, broad academic excellence and internationally renowned faculty. This Big Ten school offers rich experiences beyond the classroom from the best in performing arts to world-class sports. Discover the scenic campus through tours of the historic buildings and those that are pushing the envelope in technology.

The University of Illinois Arboretum is a living laboratory, including plant collections and facilities that support the teaching, research and public service programs of several units throughout campus. Central to the Arboretum was the development of the "All American Selection Trial Gardens" established by a bequest from Miles C. Hartley in the early 90s. Other highlights of the Arboretum include the Welcome Garden, Hosta Garden, Kari Walkway and native ponds plantings, the Idea Garden, sponsored by Champaign County Master Gardeners, and the Japanese Tea and Dry Gardens at the Japan House.

This center was designed for children ages 3-13 and their families. The science museum features several interactive hands-on exhibits dealing with a variety of basic concepts of science, as well as special events and programs.

The Science Center of Southern Illinois is the perfect way for kids to explore the beauty of science in a fun atmosphere. This hands-on children's museum has over 50 exhibits and sees nearly 15,000 annual visitors. Adults are also welcome, as many of the activities can be enjoyed by all.

The Paderewski and Kosciuszko memorial rooms, folk art, photos and documents all tell the fascinating history of the Polish immigration to America and Chicago, where the largest Polish population outside of Warsaw resides.

Discover Sue, the largest and most complete T. rex ever found! At the Field Museum you can also get a bug's-eye view in the Underground Adventure, descend into an Egyptian tomb, be dazzled in the Hall of Gems, come nose to nose with the infamous man-eating lions of Tsavo, and walk among dinosaurs in Evolving Planet.

The Mission of the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum is to identify, research, collect, catalogue, restore, house, maintain and interpret documents and artifacts relating to and chronicling the history and legacy of African Americans in Springfield and Central Illinois. The Museum will provide research opportunities, educational programming and interpretive services for historians, authors, educators, and others interested in the lives and legacies of African Americans in Central Illinois.

The Silkwood Inn was built in 1827 and contains furnishings and artifacts from the 1800s. A tour trough this amazing Inn includes the telling of a famous local legend about the kindness of the Silkwood family, a slave girl named Priscilla, and the Trail of Tears. The museum is free to the public but donations are accepted.

Strap a mask and flippers onto your imagination and chart a course to Shedd Aquarium. Have you ever seen eye-to-eye with a dolphin? Said hello to a penguin on a stroll to the South Pole? Immersed yourself in a flooded Amazon forest? Or met a friendly beluga whale? You can do it all at Shedd! Photo courtesy of the John G. Shedd Aquarium

Tour this centennial barn, one of the largest in the country and one of forty-two left in the State of Illinois. It stands 80 feet high and 85 feet in diameter and features a 16-foot diameter floor to ceiling silo. A farm implement museum in on the main floor. Tours are provided by Friends of Johnson’s Park Foundation and groups of ten or more asked to call ahead. Open the first, third, and fifth Saturday beginning May through October. Hours: 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.